


From Where We Began

by orphan_account



Category: EXO (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Summer Camp, BaekYeol - Freeform, Cute, Fluff, M/M, Time Skips, all the clichés ever, how did this turn into yeh jawaani hai deewani, kinda skip over a few, mentions of hanhun and kaisoo, random exo members, takes place over a bunch of years
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-03-14
Updated: 2016-03-14
Packaged: 2018-05-26 10:21:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,401
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6234841
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Baekhyun doesn't think this sleepaway camp will be much fun, but then he meets Chanyeol. Maybe these summers will be more fun than he thought.</p><p>[Childhood to adulthood, they are there. Always together.]</p>
            </blockquote>





	From Where We Began

**Author's Note:**

> ok i really just threw in a bunch of members but hey oneshot  
> it's really mostly baekyeol and i thought of this while coming back home today and some of it is based off of my early camp memories but then i heard badtameez dil (from yeh jawaani hai deewani im not sorry) and extended this but only the reunion and a bit of the senior year are semi-inspired

The first day Baekhyun is dropped off at his week-long sleepaway summer camp, he is scared. He is terrified. He is young, just five, and the thought of spending more time away from his parents than he ever has in his life is very alarming.

A man bends down to take a look at him, and Baekhyun rushes to hide behind his mother's leg, wrapping his small, slightly chubby arms around it like a lifesaver.

The man smiles gently down at him, and he peeks his head out a little more. Baekhyun's mom nudges him gently towards the smiling man and he warily heads towards the other. 

The male squats down to Baekhyun's level. "I'm Joonmyun. What's your name?"

Baekhyun looks up to his mother for confirmation, and she nods. Turning back to Joonmyun, he announces in his small five-year-old voice, "Baekhyun. I'm five."

Joonmyun smiles again. "That's a nice name! I'm really looking forward to spending time with you and I'm sure the rest of the boys will, too."

Baekhyun nods. Just then, another small male runs over. "Hi! I'm Chanyeol, I'm four and a half!" Chanyeol offers a large, happy grin that stretches to the edges of his huge ears. 

Baekhyun stares at the ears in shock and awe. "Whoa," he breathes. "Are you like Yoda?"

Chanyeol stares in confusion for a momebt, tilting his head. Baekhyun's mom swats at Baekhyun, scolding him for staring and saying rude things.

Baekhyun frowns at his mum, then turns back to Chanyeol. "Yoda's a character in my favorite movie, 'Star Wars'! He's got cool ears like you. 'Cept he's old and short and ugly, and you're evem younger than me and tall, and you're not ugly at all!" He offers a rectangular smile in reconciliation.

Joonmyun coos in the background, while the smile returns to Chanyeol's face as he declares, "Baekhyun's cute too!"

Baekhyun's mom 'awww's', but her son pouts. "I'm not cute," he protests. "I'm handsome!"

Chanyeol nods furiously, determined to regain the smaller but older's favor. "Yeah! That's what I meant. You're really smart, Bacon!"

Baekhyun lifts his chin proudly. "That's right. But wait, my name's not Bacon!"

Chanyeol giggles and Baekhyun chases the younger around the small playground of the rec center. There's no real venom in either of their young, happy faces, though, and Baekhyun's mom smiles as well, confident her son will be alright.

Baekhyun ends up making a lot of friends at the camp, including Luhan, Sehun, Yixing, Jongin, Kyungsoo, and of course, Chanyeol.

The last night of camp, Joonmyun leaves them alone around the campfire for just a moment as he runs to grab marshmallows for their s'mores. All seven boys stand in a circle and put their hands in the center, making a pact to come back the next summer. Joonmyun, watching but being careful not to ruin the moment by breaking in, smiles and silently joins in.

As for Chanyeol and Baekhyun, the two promise to stay best friends, even over the school year. Their moms exchange phone numbers to keep in touch, even though they live far away from each other, and the two boys call each other every weekend to talk about cars and movies and toys and next summer, when they'll see each other next. 

Baekhyun likes to talk about 'Star Wars' and Yoda at school, and any one of Chanyeol's many friends could tell you about his older friend who lives far away from all the information he's given.

                          -

The next few summers are a glorious blaze of road trips taken in a large white van emblazoned with the rec center logo, listening to Joonmyun's wierd music and the soundtracks to movies like 'Jurassic Park', 'Indiana Jones', 'The Avengers', and at Baekhyun's request, 'Star Wars'. They crowd in the seats, playing rock-paper-scissors to find out who has to sit in the very back and giggle as they pump their arms at passing truck drivers, who might oblige and honk their blaringly loud horns. 

They talk about movies less and less as the summers go on and instead which girls they like, discussing first crushes while blushing furiously. When Baekhyun mentions Taeyeon for the first time, red dusting his cheeks, Chanyeol whistles and slams his hand against the older boy's back. Baekhyun wheezes, the younger still being much larger than him and much stronger.

"Aww, our widdle Bacon's getting older!" Sehun jeers playfully, and Luhan laughs along with him. Baekhyun scowls. No one, not even Taeyeon, is allowed to call him 'Bacon'. 

Chanyeol slings a lanky arm around his shoulder. "Come on, it's Bacon's first crush! This is really important, guys!"

Somehow, the nickname doesn't sound so bad out of Chanyeol's mouth.

                           -

Joonmyun takes them rafting the next day. They line up obediently and pull on their stuffy life vests. They can all fit in the one large raft, so they load up and embark on their journey. 

Chanyeol sneaks a grin at Baekhyun. "Dude," he whispers. "I brought Doritos for the trip."

Baekhyun rolls his eyes, but inside, he is excited. As they roll out on the calm, still water, the two snag seats in the very back of the raft, farthest from Joonmyun. Chanyeol opens the packet, being careful to not let the souds of the crinkling plastic reach the front. They savor the spicy chips and neglect their rowing, leaving the other boys to glare at them (except for Yixing, who can't see them from his seat in the front and is generally assumed to not know how to glare) and Joonmyun to wonder why they're progressing so slowly.

Finally, Sehun has had enough and takes his oar smoothly out of the water. Chanyeol and Baekhyun are busy eating their Doritos and don't notice the oar, which Sehun slaps down on the surface of the river to create a huge splash. The previously still water crests into the raft, soaking the boys, but also their Doritos. Baekhyun cries out in dismay, but is smart enough to realize that if he complains any further, Joonmyun will realize they took food along. Sehun grins evilly, while Chanyeol simply pouts at the loss of his chips.

Luhan cackles silently at the sight, while Jongin and Kyungsoo crane their necks to catch a glimpse. Yixing and Joonmyun exchange confused glances.

Chanyeol suddenly lunges forward, determined to win revenge despite Baekhyun's warnings. The already precarious raft then decides that it's had enough and tips them all into the freezing cold water.

Baekhyun swats the back of Chanyeol's head and laughs at the other campers and Joonmyun, who are all treading water to stay in place. The campers just glare at the troublesome twosome.

                          -

That night, Baekhyun and Chanyeol are exiled to the farthest reaches of their campsite, where they sleep in the thinnest, smallest, flimsiest tent. Their additional punishments include making breakfast and chopping wood, but the pair already has more practical jokes to play on the group in mind and couldn't care less.

As the crickets chirp out in the summer night, Chanyeol breaks the silence by asking a question. "Hey, we've only got a year before the end of middle school, and after high school, how are we gonna see each other?"

Baekhyun looks over, thin eyebrow raised. "Did the fall into that cold water mess with your brain or something? You're never this deep."

Chanyeol sighs, staring up at the roof of the tent. 

The other looks back up too, studying the different patches that have been stiched on over the years. "I guess we'll cross that bridge when we get there, okay? I don't wanna worry about it for now."

Nodding, Chanyeol turns his head to find Baekhyun already fast asleep. 

                          -

It's the summer before their first year of college, and Baekhyun and Chanyeol are just as close as ever. They still attend the same camp every summer, as do the five other boys with Joonmyun as their diligent leader. They're all a bit more sarcastic, a bit more cynical and jaded and not as wide-eyed as they once were. The thought saddens Joonmyun but he realizes that it's all part of growing up.

Baekhyun and Chanyeol have each other's cell phone numbers and text often when they're not at camp. It's not uncommon for one of them to be walking along and receive a text from the other, causing the first to smile and consequently walk right into a tree or a pole or another person. The pair is lucky to not have been run over by a car.

Baekhyun started dating Taeyeon in his sophomore year, and Chanyeol can't help but feel a bit jealous. After all, they have been best friends since forever, and the amount of Chanyeol Baekhyun sees or texts or talks to is inversely proportional to the amount of Taeyeon in the older boy's life. But he's still happy for his friend, who's crazily heart-eyed and bushy-tailed. 

That final summer together is marked by dares and drinks (which Yixing and Jongin both refuse, much to the consternation of their friends) and the smell of pine trees in the early morning while nursing a deadly hangover. It's about Luhan and Sehun finally getting together. It's about the final summer before dorms and degrees and roommates and college. 

The very final night before the group is scheduled to head back (in the same white rec center van), Baekhyun and Chanyeol sneak away from the rest of the campers and hike up to the top of the short mountain which they are camping at the foot of. 

At the peak, the best friends sit down together and face the moon. Baekhyun silently offers Chanyeol a flask containing an unidentifiable, cheap liqueur, which Chanyeol gratefully accepts. The younger takes a few swallows before shaking his head violently and handing it back. Baekhyun sips a bit too before screwing it shut and putting it back in his hoodie pocket.

They stare up at the starry summer sky for a bit longer.

"You know," Baekhyun starts. "Taeyeon and I...aren't working out. Not anymore."

Chanyeol doesn't know what to make of this new information, but he says, "Oh, I'm sorry. Didn't know." Deep down, though, he's satisfied, despite knowing he should feel sad for his friend who put his heart in his hands for that girl.

Baekhyun chuckles. "How would you? I waited to tell you, though I'm not quite sure why."

Chanyeol thinks for a moment, processing what the other has said. He takes a bit to try and figure out what these skewed new emotions in his heart are and why his heart rate is accelerating. 

It hits him. All of a sudden, he knows why he was so jealous of Taeyeon and why he felt happiest when they were talking or texting or why now, he felt the strange and previously inexplicable urge to kiss his very platonic best friend in a very non-platonic way.

"Fuck," he mutters. "I think I finally understand."

"Understand what?" Baekhyun asks, looking up.

Chanyeol closes his eyes and pleads to whatever being might be out there to watch over him at that moment. He leans in closer to Baekhyun's mouth and whispers, "This," before capturing thr other's lips in a soft, chaste kiss. 

Baekhyun wraps his arms around Chanyeol's neck, returning the kiss. They don't go any farther, breaking apart to link their hands and watch the sky for a while before walking back to the campsite. 

On next day's drive back, neither Chanyeol nor Baekhyun mention the previous night, preferring to converse with other campers instead. 

                           -

It's been four years. For years of torture and pain and all-nighters amd studying to get his music degree and Baekhyun hopes it was all worth it.

It's also been four years since he and Chanyeol talked to each other or communicated in any way, their friendship breaking off suddenly, silently, and mutually in a way that leaves Baekhyun still longing for the younger's bright presence.

Luhan, however, has kept in touch, and he and Sehun are getting married on Saturday. 

Baekhyun's incredibly excited, of course, for the two of them. He's been invited as Luhan's best man and has been working on his speech for the last two months, since Luhan guilt-tripped, prodded, and generally forced the Korean boy into the role.

Saturday comes, and Baekyun delivers a nostalgic but humorous toast that leaves the audience (which includes Joonmyun as well as Kyungsoo and Jongin, who are now dating) laughing hysterically in some places and crying in others. He sits down pleased, and Luhan pats his back.

Baekhyun looks over to the other side of Sehun, where the other's best man should be sitting and frowns. The seat is empty. Sehun, however, does not look worried.

A few more guests give toasts. Finally, Sehun stands up. 

"My best man might be running a little late, but for now--"

He is interrupted when the door of reception hall bursts open. The guests look back in surprise to see who it is. 

It's Chanyeol, panting and bent over to catch his breath. Sehun grins idly and calls out, "Hey man, you're late."

Chanyeol stands up, also grinning. "Sorry, ran into some trouble on the way here. Congrats on the whole marriage thing, though." Scanning the table, he spots Baekhyun, who is standing up with his hands over his mouth in shock, eyes glistening happily. "Hey, Bacon. Long time no see, huh?"

Baekhyun just gives his trademark rectangular smile and nods.

                         -

That night, Baekhyun receives a knock on his hotel door. He opens it to find Chanyeol, smiling sheepishly and holding out a bouquet of flowers. "I know we haven't talked in a while," the younger mentions, rubbing the back of his head. Baekhyun snorts.

"But I was hoping that...maybe we could, you know, start again?"

Baekhyun smiles gently, reaching up to tug on the taller man's ears. "Sure thing, Yoda."

Chanyeol frowns comically, then laughs. "Whatever you say, Bacon."

Baekhyun shifts his hands to the back of Chanyeol's neck and pulls the other in closer. "Starting...now." He kisses the other gently and softly, and Chanyeol kisses back in the same way, just as they had done four years ago. Smiling into the kiss, Baekhyun drags the his absolute best definitely-not-platonic friend into his room and shuts the door, determined to make up for the years of being together they had lost.

**Author's Note:**

> ok i have no idea what just happened but thanks for reading this absolute shit  
> im surprised i didn't make them suddenly burst out into hindi song and start dancing


End file.
